


Never Enough

by jackscrutchie



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Cute, Falling In Love, Fluff, Kisses, Love, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 09:41:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11182218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackscrutchie/pseuds/jackscrutchie
Summary: Falling in love was easy.





	Never Enough

**Author's Note:**

> I reblogged this prompt thing on Tumblr with a bunch of different kiss scenarios. This one was "being unable to open their eyes for a few moments afterward." I loved writing it. A lot.
> 
> Also let me take a moment to apologize for flooding the Newsies category with my shitty JackCrutchie fanfiction.  
> So.
> 
> Sorry.

The first time they kissed it was messy -- At least, Crutchie had thought it was. He had never kissed anyone before. Sure, he’d seen plenty of people do it. People in movies, people in parks, even people on the front page of a paper he once had to sell. Not to mention, he’d been pining after Jack since he was 12 years old. He remembered pretending to be so happy for Jack when he came home one night, so proud that he had his first kiss with a pretty girl. He stood back and watched Jack flirt and kiss on girls ever since. He knew how it worked, but he had no real experience.

So when he finally built up the courage, out of nothing more than pent up frustration, he ended up missing Jack's lips completely at first. Jack had to readjust them before they could continue. It was funny now, but immediately after they separated after that first kiss, Crutchie was so embarrassed he couldn't even look at him. Of course, Jack coddled him, telling him it was okay and how cute it was. He'd laughed and hugged him close and -- He loved every single moment.

The second time they kissed, was right before they fell asleep in each other's arms the same night as their first. It was better -- Jack initiated it. A kiss to Crutchie's forehead, then his cheek, then his nose, finally his lips. It was a soft sweet moment, their lips brushing a few times before they pulled apart, their eyes gazing into each others. They watched each other for a few minutes, Jack playing with strands of Crutchie's dusty hair. They smiled at each other -- Not needing to say anything else. 

The third time was fleeting. A few days after their first and second, Crutchie came down with something -- He wasn't able to leave the lodging house to sell. Jack sat with him all night, not sleeping much of a wink. Crutchie begged him to go with promises of getting better. Besides, it wasn't anything serious. He'd be better by the morning. He just needed some extra sleep. Jack hesitated -- But gave in after a little more coaxing. He leaned over and brushed Crutchie's hair out of his face and quickly pressed a light kiss on his lips. Crutchie slept the day away. He was better in the morning.

The fourth time was after Crutchie had been crying. He had been in the wrong place, seen the wrong thing. Jack hugging another boy so close, so tenderly, so -- Intimately. He was rubbing the other boys back, whispering things to him that Crutchie couldn't hear. He knew it could only mean that Jack had been lying to him this entire time. That Jack was only showing him affection out of pity. Crutchie tried so hard to hide his jealousy. He was meant to be the sunlight. To hell with that. He yelled at Jack when he got back to the penthouse that night. He told him exactly what he was thinking. He hated that Jack was lying to him. He didn't want his pity. He'd rather Jack stop leading him on now. He told him how he had seen him earlier in such a private embrace, and how it must have ended with an equally passionate kiss --

Jack tried to calm him down. Tell him it wasn't what he thought. The real story -- A kid from Brooklyn had been kicked out of his house after his father caught him with another boy. He had no where to go -- He had looked up to Jack Kelly since he was little and he was the only one he wanted to see. He couldn't face his friend after what had happened. His father left him with a blackened eye and split lip. He was scared. Jack walked him to the Poplar Street lodging house and introduced him to Spot and the other Brooklyn boys. Made sure he was safe -- 

Crutchie felt like an idiot. He couldn't stop crying. Of course that's all it was. Jack was always the first to jump to some poor kid's aid. No one knew that better than he did. He apologized, begging for Jack's forgiveness. Sobs wracked his chest as he brought his hands to his eyes, ashamed of himself. But he spent so many years convinced that no one would ever want him, it was hard for him to truly believe that Jack did.

Jack walked to him, pulled his hands gently from his tear stained face and smiled. Again, he was coddled, told it was okay -- Because Jack understood. Jack knew better than anyone what Crutchie had gone through. He was the only one Crutchie had really talked to about it. Jack knew that Crutchie struggled with admiration and affection. He knew that he didn't get it as a child. At least, not until he came to the lodging house. 

The fourth time, Crutchie looked miserable. His nose was running, his eyes were red and puffy. His face was soaked with tears, he couldn't stop gasping from the sobs. His small shoulders trembled at he tried to keep eye contact as Jack reassured him that his feelings were honest and true and strong. That it was okay for Crutchie to feel a little unsure sometimes. That he was allowed to get angry when he didn't understand. Jack smiled at his twisted and sorrowful face and, despite Crutchie's tears and running nose, pressed his mouth to his. He kissed him longer than usual. His lips pressing deeper, but so gentle.

Crutchie melted into his arms, his tears finally slowing to a stop as he returned the movements. His doubts faded away, getting lost in Jack's embrace and in his practiced kiss. He reached his arms up and around Jack's neck, Jack pulled their bodies closer, closing the rest of the space between them. The kiss lingered for what seemed like hours -- Days. But it wasn't long enough. When they broke apart, they smiled at each other. Crutchie laughed at himself -- Jack pressed tiny kisses all over his face, punctuating each one with words of endearment.

Crutchie stopped counting after that night. He stopped worrying that he would only have a limited number to enjoy. They would share a kiss in the morning, a kiss in the evening before they slept and many quick kisses throughout the day in secret. The shared messy kisses. Kisses that were meant to be fast to keep them hidden. They shared long soft kisses under the moonlight that he wished would never end. They shared passionate and heated kisses on warm summer nights, sweat rolling down their faces. 

The shared silly kisses, their lips puckered, or their cheeks puffed out. Jack would make kissing noises as he got closer and closer to Crutchie's mouth -- Before placing a fast peck on his lips and pulling away quickly. Crutchie laughed until he cried. These were the nights Crutchie liked the best -- When they had nothing to worry about. They didn't worry about someone climbing the fire escape and finding them in a romantic embrace -- Because on nights like this, they just didn't care. They spent hours wrapped in each other's arms, making each other laugh. They spent hours playing with each other's hair, or looking up at the stars. Jack would lay in Crutchie's lap and draw -- 

There was a time Jack was sure he was kissing Crutchie for the last time -- He had gotten so sick that no one thought he would make it. He'd fallen asleep and wouldn't wake up. Every day he slept, Jack would kiss him in the morning, a few quick kisses, feather light during the day, and again in the evening. He'd stay up at night and beg him to wake up, pressing kiss after kiss to his warm forehead or freckled cheek. He begged the doctor to tell him something different when he was told that he would be gone by that night. Jack broke, willing him, praying that he would open his eyes. He did. Jack kissed him.

No matter how many kisses were exchanged between the two of them, it never seemed to be enough. They started letting their pinkies twist together in public despite the stares of disapproval. Jack began setting his hand on the small of Crutchie's back when they walked to get dinner together. They started spending time sleeping next to each other under their favorite tree in the park. They pressed their foreheads together, sitting at the water's edge, watching the sunset. It's where they spent Crutchie's birthday. His smile blinded Jack more than the sun. He reached up and set his rough, paint stained hand against Crutchie's flushed cheek.

"Charlie --" Jack almost whispered, his eyes filled with something Crutchie had never seen before. Or at least, not that he could instantly recognize. It was something Jack had in his eyes only when they were looking at each other. He brushed his nose against Crutchie's, sweet and slow. "You's..." He stopped and smiled, averting his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "You's is my everythin'." He brought his eyes back up to meet Crutchie's once again. They shimmered with tears. "I don't know where I'd be without'cha." What was this? Crutchie smiled and rubbed his nose against Jack's -- He continued. "Charlie -- I'm in love with you."

Oh.

"You hear me? I love you, Charlie Morris." He smiled.

Tears spilled over and down Crutchie's cheeks. He'd spent so many years wondering what it would be like to hear those three words come from someone's mouth -- And now they were coming from Jack's. He spent so many years angry, thinking he was unlovable because he was some horrible kid that no one wanted -- And yet... 

"I --" Crutchie's brows furrowed and more tears fell. "I love you too, Jack." He tried to smile, but a sob escaped instead.

"Hah.." Jack breathed out, tears falling down his own face. "I'm... Glad." He laughed. "Charlie, I'm so glad."

And they kissed. This time -- Their mouths moved slowly, deeply together. It was the same, but entirely different. Neither of them breathed, neither of them wanted to stop. Jack laced his fingers into Crutchie's hair, knocking the hat off of his head. Crutchie's arms wrapped around Jack's waist. They kissed until their throats were dry, until Crutchie's closed eyes stopped crying, leaving his lashes soaked with tears and stuck to his skin. They didn't stop until they had to, breaking apart to breathe.

They sat, their foreheads pressed together, breathing in unison. Their eyes remained closed, neither one of them able to bring themselves to force them open, fearing it would end the moment. Fearing it would all have been some sort of wild dream and the other would be gone. 

Minutes passed -- They opened their eyes together, finally caught up on air. They laughed, clinging to each other, pressing small kisses to each other's faces.

No -- It didn't matter if this was the first or the one millionth. It would never be enough.


End file.
